Learn to Say Some Chinese Idioms

The Confucius Institute at Wayne State University offers short videos featuring Chinese idioms.

Here are the idioms in characters that are attractive to look at, and then below this, you will find translations and links to the Wayne State youtube videos that will teach you how say them!

 

吹牛皮 Literally, blowing the cow hide; to be a blowhard.  Chui niu pi (1^st tone, 2^nd tone, 2^nd tone)

开夜车 Literally, drive at night; burning the midnight oil.  Kai ye che (1, 4, 1)

让人大跌眼镜  Literally causing another’s glasses to fall off; so surprised one’s glasses fell off. 

Rang ren da die yan jing (4, 2, 4, 1, 3, 4)

说好话 or 说坏话  Literally, good talk, bad talk; to speak well (of someone) or to speak negatively (of someone), to praise or to talk trash.  Shuo hao hua or shuo huai hua (1, 3, 4/1, 4, 4)

隔墙有耳 Literally, walls have ears.  Ge qiang you er (2, 2, 3, 3)